Le Fantasque-class destroyer

Le Fantasque, on trials after re-fitting, in Casco Bay, Maine, on 13 June 1943.
Class overview
Name: Le Fantasque class
Operators:
Preceded by: Vauquelin class
Succeeded by: Mogador class
Completed: 6
Lost: 2
Retired: 4
General characteristics [1]
Type: Destroyer
Displacement:
  • 2,569 long tons (2,610 t) standard
  • 3,200–3,400 long tons (3,300–3,500 t) full load
Length: 132.40 m (434 ft 5 in)
Beam: 11.98 m (39 ft 4 in)
Draught: 4.30 m (14 ft 1 in)
Propulsion:
  • 4 × Penhoët boilers
  • 2 × Parsons or Rateau engines
  • Geared turbines, 2 shafts
  • 74,000–81,000 shp (55,000–60,000 kW)
Speed:
  • 45 knots (83 km/h; 52 mph) (40 kn (74 km/h; 46 mph) nominal)
  • 37 kn (69 km/h; 43 mph) after refit
Range:
  • 1,200 km (750 mi) at 34 kn (63 km/h; 39 mph)
  • 6,600 nmi (12,200 km; 7,600 mi) at 17 kn (31 km/h; 20 mph)
Complement:
  • 10 officers
  • 210 sailors
Armament:

The Le Fantasque class of six large, very fast destroyers (also referred to as the Malin class) was ordered under the French naval programme of 1930. They served in World War II for both Vichy France and the Free French Forces.[2]

The original purpose of these large French destroyers, and the earlier Chacal class, was to operate with battleship and cruiser forces, although they were not restricted to this. The Italian Navy, the Regia Marina, reacted by building the Capitani Romani-class cruisers. The class was assigned to the Force de Raid when war was declared.[3] Those ships that later sailed with the Allies were classed as light cruisers.

Ships in the class

  • Le Fantasque (10, X101, X103, D610), launched 15 March 1934, scrapped 2 May 1957
  • Le Malin (9, 8, X82, X102, X02, D612), launched 17 August 1933, scrapped February 1964
  • Le Terrible (12, 11, 12, X103, X101, D611), launched 30 November 1933, scrapped June 1962
  • L'Indomptable (15, 7, X81), launched 7 December 1933, scuttled Toulon 27 November 1942
  • L'Audacieux (11, 12, 11, X102), launched 15 March 1934, severely damaged at the Battle of Dakar, repaired, sunk 7 May 1943 at Bizerte by Allied bombing
  • Le Triomphant (8, 9, X83, H02, X104, X04, D613), launched 16 April 1934, stricken December 1954

Notes

  1. ↑ Conway p268
  2. ↑ Conway p268
  3. ↑ Rohwer, Jürgen; Hummelchen, Gerhard (1992). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. p. 5. ISBN 1-55750-105-X.

References

  • Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • Jordan, John & Moulin, Jean (2015). French Destroyers: Torpilleurs d'Escadre & Contre-Torpilleurs 1922–1956. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-198-4.
  • Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.


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